


walk away from empty gold

by Suicix



Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Betrayal, Canon Divergence, Character Study, Gen, Scheming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 17:00:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5505791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suicix/pseuds/Suicix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Seth Rollins was only ever the Authority's last resort.</p>
<p>Set pre-Payback 2014.</p>
            </blockquote>





	walk away from empty gold

Reigns is Hunter’s first instinct.

He seems like the most straight-laced of the bunch, and that’s just what the Authority needs. No nonsense, no questions. He wouldn’t be prone to random spouts of uncalled for violence like Ambrose, wouldn’t try to get too clever like Rollins. Just do what’s asked of him and always keep the goals in mind. Plus he doesn’t have that same experience under his belt, doesn’t know what it’s like to drive sleepless to the next show in a high school gym where you might be lucky to have an audience. Sure, that may be _experience_ , but it’s not necessarily the experience the Authority wants or needs. It’s experience that makes someone wary, cynical, less easy to manipulate. Hunter doesn’t want that.

That’s why Reigns seems like he’ll be the best bet. He must feel so unworldly, so inadequate compared to his so-called brothers that it eats away at him and chews up his insides long into the night. He should be easy to convince.

Evolution’s loss to the Shield was humiliating, and Hunter needs the assurance that he has the upper hand before the two teams face off again.

So, Reigns.

 

 

“No way,” are the words that immediately come out when the question is asked. “No. You can’t really think that I’d – that I’d just abandon the Shield like that. Those are my brothers.”

“It’s not as simple as just abandoning them,” Hunter insists. “The opportunity you’re being given here is bigger than anything the Shield can offer you. Trust me. You turning on them will be the first step you make towards a better career for yourself.”

“And for what? For you to just hand me the world title? I got more pride than that.”

Reigns is uncompromising. He leaves the office without another word. Hunter only hopes he won’t tell Ambrose and Rollins about his offer.

 

 

Surprisingly, the next Shield member that Hunter decides to approach is Ambrose. Sure, the guy’s a nutjob, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be useful to the Authority. On his own, he’d probably be dangerous, but maybe if there was a way of containing that, if the Authority could get hold of him… it could potentially be perfect.

 

 

The man himself doesn’t seem to think so.

“I know what you’re gonna ask me,” he spits as soon as the door to Hunter’s office is closed. _Oh_ – so Reigns _had_ mentioned it. “And don’t even think about asking Seth, ‘cause he ain’t gonna fall into your trap either!”

Maybe Hunter was wrong to think the Authority could ever tame Ambrose.

 

 

He doesn’t want it to be Rollins – the guy’s way too conniving for his own good, Hunter’s noticed – but it looks like it’s going to have to be.

It’s mere hours before Payback when he manages to get Rollins alone to ask about it.

“The hell do you want?” Rollins asks when the door of Hunter’s office clicks shut behind them.

“Listen,” Hunter says, trying not to sound as frantic as he feels, “I’ve got a proposition for you.”

Rollins raises an eyebrow. He probably knows, just as Ambrose did, but he doesn’t mention it.

“Go on.”

“Well – how would you like to join the Authority? Money in the Bank’s at the end of the month. Could get you that briefcase if you wanted it.” He hadn’t mentioned it outright to the others, but he’s desperate now. He needs to pull one of them over to his side, and if it has to be Rollins, then so be it. “End the Shield, and it’s yours.”

“My place in the Shield for a definite world title,” Rollins says, voice slow. Hunter isn’t going to mention that the world title isn’t exactly _definite_. Doesn’t Rollins remember what happened to Damien Sandow last year? But then again, Sandow wasn’t working with the Authority – Orton was, and he managed to take advantage of that briefcase just fine. “If I do… say yes, when are you planning for this to happen?”

“Tomorrow.” Hunter hasn’t really planned it, not yet, but he needs this as soon as possible. “Last segment of RAW.”

Rollins frowns.

“What about tonight?” he asks. “The match.”

“The match goes on as usual tonight, but really, you’ll be working for me. Let your teammates fall into a false sense of security; let them think nothing has changed. If any of us get the chance to eliminate you, we won’t take it. Make you look good out there. Not unless you’re the last member of your team standing. Then, well. Obviously we’re gonna go for it.”

Rollins nods, taking it in.

“So,” Hunter continues, “what do you think?”

There’s a pause, Rollins taking his time to consider.

“I’m in,” he finally says. It took him a lot quicker to reach that decision than Hunter thought it might. He definitely heard about this from Reigns and Ambrose, then.

“Fantastic,” Hunter says, and he gives Rollins a slap on the back as he leaves.

Rollins is hardly even Plan B, but he doesn’t need to know that.


End file.
